4th Quarter Senior English Writing Project 4th Quarter Senior English

Unit Summary Students will use The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho to consider their personal legends, fears, and future after high school. Also, they will do a final senior capstone project, a personal writing portfolio, where they will write 4 original pieces of their choosing.

Learning Targets & Assessments

I can use reading strategies to make meaning of complex fiction & nonfiction texts. The Alchemist Chapter Quizzes Novel vocabulary terms Author biography annotations

I can produce a writing portfolio that shows I’ve mastered different writing genres throughout my high school career. Final writing portfolio with 4 different writing pieces Presentation of best piece to the class Rough draft of 2 of 4 pieces

I can use feedback from others to make my writing better. Individual Meetings (2) Partner Editing on 2 of 4 pieces

Guiding Questions 1. What holds a person back from reaching their potential in life? 2. How can people overcome their fears of failing? 3. How do high schoolers decide what their personal legend is and what they need to do to achieve it?

Major Themes in The Alchemist

The Centrality of Personal Legends According to The Alchemist, Personal Legends serve as the only means by which an individual can live a satisfying life. In fact, the universe can only achieve perfection if all natural things continuously undergo a cycle of achieving their Personal Legend, evolving into a higher being with a new Personal Legend, and then pursuing that new goal. This concept, that the individualistic pursuit of a Personal Legend exists as life’s dominant—perhaps only—spiritual demand. As a result, all individuals should live in the singular pursuit of their individual dreams

How would you define a PERSONAL LEGEND?

The Danger of Fear Fear persistently comes up throughout Santiago’s journey as the primary obstacle to Santiago’s successfully achieving his Personal Legend. Fear, they suggest, should become irrelevant, even in the face of death, if you faithfully pursue your dreams. The crystal merchant in particular represents someone who has allowed fear to rule his life. Although he wants to make the pilgrimage to Mecca required of every Muslim, he fears that once he’s made the trip he will have nothing else to live for. As a result, he remains deeply unhappy, reinforcing the notion that fear acts as an obstacle to a happy and fulfilled life.

Are students your age governed more by fear than adults today are Are students your age governed more by fear than adults today are? Or do you believe that you become more fearful as you get older?

YOUR PERSONAL WRITING PORTFOLIO

Your final project for our Alchemist unit (and for your last quarter in high school…hopefully!) will be a personal writing portfolio

Preliminary Requirements for your portfolio You will be required to submit 4 different writing pieces The pieces need to each be written in a different genre (narrative, poem, letter, op-ed, informative, persuasive, fiction, nonfiction, etc) 1 of the 4 writing pieces need to have a theme related to The Alchemist (personal legend, fear)

During the writing process: You will need to meet with me in person at least 2 times. You will need to turn in a rough draft of 2 of the 4 pieces

Questions so far?

Due Date and presentation details

**NO LATE PORTFOLIOS WILL BE ACCEPTED** Due Date Monday, May 8th by MIDNIGHT They will be emailed to me or turned in (typed) **NO LATE PORTFOLIOS WILL BE ACCEPTED**

Presentation of your writing Each student will read their BEST piece to the entire class Wednesday, May 10th **IF YOU MISS YOUR PRESENTATION DAY, YOU CANNOT MAKE IT UP**

QUESTIONS?